02 Governance, Structure & People
ABOUT THE CEO

ABOUT THE CEO

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is a statutory officer under the CEFC Act who is responsible for the day‑to‑day administration of the Corporation. The CEO is appointed by the Board after consultation with the Responsible Ministers and holds office at the Board’s pleasure.

The terms and conditions of the CEO’s employment are established by the Board. The CEO’s role is performed according to the policies established by the Board. The CEO cannot be a Board Member. The Board also delegates authority to the CEO by standing delegation or other delegations as it sees fit from time to time.

Oliver Yates

Chief Executive Officer

Mr Oliver Yates was appointed the Corporation’s inaugural Chief Executive Officer on 26 November 2012.

Mr Yates has more than 20 years of global experience in corporate advisory, financial structuring, project finance, debt structuring, equity raising and listings, with extensive experience in clean energy. Mr Yates was an executive director at Macquarie Bank for over 10 years, being country head in the United States (1998-2004), co-head Macquarie Capital Private Placements Group (2004-2008) and co-head Macquarie Capital Products Group (2001-2008). At Macquarie Bank, Mr Yates was involved in establishing new businesses and growing the bank’s operations internationally, as well as leading the bank’s initiatives in wind, solar, biofuels, carbon credits and other renewable businesses.

Mr Yates is an investor in and has held board positions on a number of innovative energy ventures. He participated in the South Australian Government Green Grid study to look at unlocking renewable resources on the Eyre Peninsula, and the Victorian Government study into carbon capture and storage (CCS) for the Latrobe Valley.

Mr Yates holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne, and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors with an Advanced Diploma in Mastering the Boardroom.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) invests commercially to increase the flow of funds into renewable energy, energy efficiency and low emissions technologies. The CEFC has supported projects across the Australian economy, benefitting a diverse range of businesses, large and small. The CEFC’s mission is to accelerate Australia's transformation towards a more competitive economy in a carbon constrained world, by acting as a catalyst to increase investment in emissions reduction. The CEFC does this through direct investments which attract private sector finance, as well as through its strategic co-financing partners. The CEFC was created by the Australian Government and operates under the Clean Energy Finance Corporation Act 2012. More information is available on the CEFC website: www.cleanenergyfinancecorp.com.au